Evaporator.



am. DE BEEIIS.

EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.28.1913.

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EVAPORATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28. 1913. Lm o Patented May 25, 1915. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FRANKLIN M. im BEERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EVAPORATOR.

Application filed August 28, 1913.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANKLIN M. DE Brinks, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented' certain new and useful Improvements in Evaporators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in evaporators and more particularly to evaporators of the well known type wherein the liquor circulates through vertical tubes, which pass through an annular vapor belt intervening between the upper and lower liquor chambers.

It is manifest that maximum efhciency in such a structure, requiring utilization of the greatest possible amount of the exposed heating surface of. the liquor-containing tubes, is dependent upon approximately uniform vapor distribution to secure uniform and active liquor circulation. In practice, truly-ideal conditions are unattainable in this type of structure, but the object of my invention is the improvement of means of Vapor distribution, for an approximation of ideal conditions, with consequent improvement in evaporator operation; and a further object of my invention is the provision of the vapor-distribution regulating means in a form available to permit regulation consistent with the varying working conditions of the apparatus while the evaporator is in operation and with a facility that will permit changes of conditions within the evaporator from time to time easily to be compensated for.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing'schematically a triple-effect evaporator embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of operating gearing; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of valve parts; Fig. 6 is a detail section on lines 6 6 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a detail section on line 7-7 of Fig. 4. p

Each of the evaporator units A, B, and C, of which any suitable number may be provided according to the number of eects desired, is of a construction providing the upper and lower liquor chambers 11 and 12 of any suitable shape, separated by the Vapor chest 13,` the latter preferably having ex1 teriorly a bilged or bellied belt 14, annular Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Maty 25, 1915.

Serial No. 787,046.

top and bottom walls 15 and 16 through 'which open the vertical pipes or fines 17, and an annular inner wall 18 defining the downtake path of the circulating liquor.

I prefer that the vertical chord of the annular bowed or bilged portion 14 of the vapor chest be of less extent than the height of the chest so that there be left above and below said bilge cylindrical shoulders 14', the bilged portion providing an annular passage 13 peripherally surrounding the tubecontaining area of the vapor .chest susceptible of easy segregation from the said tube containing area.

19 indicates a vapor inlet at one side of the bilge, and 20 its controlling valve.

21 indicates an efiiuent pipe for the condensed vapor, leading to any usual disposalpoint.

In a multiple effect system the dome of each effect is connected by a pipe 22 with the vapor inlet 19 of the next effect, and connection is made whereby the liquor chambers of the several effects are maintained under vacuum-tendency increasing through the several effects. Steam is introduced into the first-effect vapor chest. The vapor from the first-effect, introduced into the second-effect, acts as the heating medium therein and is condensed. The general character of such plants is too well known to need further description.

Opposite the intake opening 19 of each effect I provide a distributing plate structure comprising, preferably a fixed plate, 25, preferably riveted to the shoulders 14 as at 26 and having in register with the intake opening an orifice 27 preferably guarded at the top and bottom by outwardly extending flanges27 controlled as to its effective extent of opening by a pair of valve-members outwardly opening between flanges 27 and to this end shutters 28 are hinged on vertical axes at the side edges of the orifice. This form of construction is one simple and efficient means of regulable distribution of the vapor.V These shutters have on their inner adjacent edges lugs 29 to which are pivoted links 30, the inner ends of which are pivotally connected to a block 31 carried by a rod 32 passing between appropriate notches in the edges of the shutters and screw-threaded at its outer end. Said rod 31 extends through the vapor inlet 19 and through a suitably packed gland 33, preferably attached to the bend of' the pipe be- The distributing plate 25 preferably ex- I tends equally on opposite sides of the radial line of the inlet 19 and preferably covers an area aggregating about a third of -the periphery of the vapor chest.

I preferably provide 1n cooperation with said stationary plate movable distributing plate structures, the movement of which may variably o en or close vapor distributing orifices 36 anking the stationary plate.

. In the specific construction shown and diametrically in the mova proper circular path o 25b are such flanking plates, jointly covering appropriate areas so that the aggregate eX- tent of the .distributing plates may be, roughly speaking, two-thirds of the periphery of the steam chest, the remaining third, o posite the inlet, being open. The plate 25 shoulders 14 and is adjustably secured in position by clips 37 riveted to the shoulders as best shown in Fig. 6. If desired each adjustable plate, as shown at 25b in Fig. 2, may be provided with a series of apertures 25 and in such event I prefer that the coperating structure guiding the apertured portion of the platey 25b shall be itself a plate, 37, having therein openings 37 so that movement of the plate 25" may cause the openings le plate and the guide plate to shift into or out of register. Throughout any imperforate portion of the plate 25b the clips. 37 may be employed as heretofore described.

\'l`he.movable plates 25l and 25b I preferably connect for adjustment in unison by fmeans accessible from the exterior of the evaporator. Specifically eachof said plates 25EL and 25b is preferably provided with extension arm, following the same curve as the plate and preferably projecting fromrabout., lthe center of its height. These two arms 39* and 39", as best shown .in Fig. 4, are deflected v at their ends to lie in vertical alinement and they bear on their vertically-separated alining portions the racks 40* and 40b respectively meshing with opposite sides of a gear 41. For mutual guidance of the two arms I prefer thatarm 39a be provided with anger 42a embracing a stem 43b projecting from the extremity of the rack portion 40,.and that similar provision be made with respect to the arm 391 and a projecting stem. from the.

rack 40. In this way the two slide plates are'made mutually to guide each other in a ears against the cylindricaladjustment and obj 1n vious r tation' of the gear 41 will cause equal and opposite adjusting movements of the two plates. The gear 41 is carried by a shaft 44 mounted in suitable bearings preferably diametrically opposite to the operating rod 32, andextendingthrough a suitably packed gland 45 in the shell of the vapor chest. rotatable handle 46 on the gear shaft 44 is accessible from the outside of the eva orator. A he structure described constitutes one exemplification of my invention b-y which great advantage is attained over the ordinary evaporator construction, for it will bc appreciated that the construction of the vapor chest with distributing plates segregating from the tube-containing area of the chest a peripheral channel having openings only at spaced intervals to the tube-containing area insures distribution of the vapor to different parts of the tube containing area for approximate uniformity of heating effect and the relative mljustability of the orifices, and particularly the orifice confronting the intake pipe, gives a regulation which is highl advantageous to the attainment of practical efficiency. j

It will be understood that in an evapora- 4tor construction of the character described the density and volume of the vapor, particularly in the second and subsequent effects, varies widely in different conditions of use. For proper proportioning of the vapor distribution, therefore, to secure such a heating of the tubes at different parts of the tubecontaining area as will attain substantially uniform activity of circulation (and thereforea maximum degree of efficiency) it is important that the proportioning devices which determine the ratio of the vapor directly admitted to the tube-area to that which is compelled to follow the more circuitous path to relatively remote portions of the tube-area, shall be adjustable; and it is further important that adjustment may be attainable while the evaporator is working so that the effect of adjustment may be observed for empirical attainment of" approximately ideal conditions.

Manifestly,:in the orator embodying my invention these desiderata are attained, as the adjustment adapted for the best efficiency may be made while the evaporator is in operation, and the vaporeperation'-A of an-evapj.

distribution in each effect may be made independently to conform to the conditions in that particularelement ofthe evaporator system, to insure concurrence of/eliciency in all of the units.

While I have herein .described in some detail a particularembodiment of my in'- vention, for purposes lof full disclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes might be made the construction without departure from 1,140,881 l ggg.

the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with an evaporator having upper and lower liquor chambers and a central downtake connecting them and providing an annular tube-containing vapor chest whereof the tubes open into the upper and lower liquor chambers and the chest is centrally closed by said downtake; said chest havingperipheral vapor inlet means; of a distributing structure segregating from the tube containing area a peripheral passage including the inlet, said distributing structure-including parts movable to provide an opening of variable size between the segregated passage and the tube containing area directly confronting the inlet.

2. The combination with an evaporator having upper and lower liquid chambers and a central downtake passage connecting them and providing an annular horizontal vapor chest surrounding and centrally closed by the downtake; said' chest lhaving vertical liquor tubes passing therethrough to the upper and lower liquor chambers and having a peripheral inlet and a ycondensed liquor outlet diametrically opposed to the inlet; of

a distributing plate structure confronting said inlet and segregating from the tube containing area a peripheral passage, said distributing structure comprising movable means for effecting regulable communication between the passage and tube containing area. confronting the inlet, and means for operating said movable means extending to the exterior of the evaporator.

3. In the combination with an evaporator providing an annular vapor chest having a bilged belt, a tube-containing area surrounded by said belt and a peripheral inlet to said belt, ofA a pluralityV of plates vertically crossing said bilged belt, segregating from the tube-containing area a peripheral channel including the inlet opening, the plate opposing the inlet being fixed and plates flanking said xed plate being movable to afford regulable openings at the end of said fixed plate.

4. The combination with an evaporator having upper and lower liquor chambers and 'a central downtake connecting them and providing an annular tube containing vapor chest surrounding and centrally closed by the downtake, and having on opposite sides of the downtake a peripheral inlet and a condensed liquor outlet; of a distributing plate fixed to confront said inlet and segregating froml the tube containing area a peripheral channel for vapor distribution, said plate having an orifice therein confronting the inlet opening, movable means for varying the effective extent of said orifice, and operating means therefor extending to the exterior of the Steam chest.-

the tube-containing area, -structure providing a regulable opening reg- 5. The combination with an evaporator having an annular vapor chest including a tube-containing area and having a peripheral inlet, of distributing plate fixed to confront said inlet and segregating from-the 7@ tube-containing area a peripheral channel for vapor distribution, said plate having an orifice therein confronting the inlet opening, hinged shutters for varying the effective opening of said orifice and an operating rod for said shutters extending to the exterior of the casing.

6. The `combination with an evaporator having an annular vapor chest including a tube-containing area and having a peripheral inlet, of a distributing plate fixed to confront said inlet and segregating from the tube-containing area a peripheral channel for vapor distribution, said plate having an orifice therein confronting the inlet open- 85 ing, hinged shutters for varying -the effective opening of said orifice, and an operating rod for said shutters extending through said inlet orifice to the exterior of the evaporator and an operating handle on said rod.

7 Inan evaporator, the combination with the vapor chest, having a peripheral inlet,

a tube-containing area, a liquid outlet opposite to the inlet, and a central downtake closed to the vapor; of distributing plates within said vapor chest segregating from the tube containing area a peripheral portion of said vapor chest including the inlet, said plates relatively slidable to afford communication of variable area between said peripheral portion and the tube-containing area, and means extending to the exterior `of the casing for sliding said relatively slidable plates with respectto the relatively stationary plate structure.

8. In an evaporator, the combination of an annular vapor chest having a tube-containing area and a peripheral inlet, of a distributing structure segregating an annular peripheral channel, inclpding the inlet, from the tube-containing area, said distributing structure providing a regulable opening registering with the inlet and regulable openings fianking the first said opening, and independent means for adjusting said regulable openings.

9. In an evaporator, the combination of an annular vapor chest having a tube-containing area and a peripheral inlet, -of a distributing structure segregating an annular peripheral channel, including the inlet, from said distributing istering with the inlet and regulable openings fianking the first said opening, and independent means extending to the exterior of the casing for adjusting said regulable openings.

" 10. In an evaporator, the combination of an annular vapor chest having a tube-con- 13o an annular tributing structure lsegregatin einlet, from peripheral channel, including t the tube-containing area, ing plate opposing the inlet opening, slidable distributing plates flanking said fixed distributing plates, inter-related guiding devices for guiding said flanking plates, and means for moving said flanking plates oppositely and in common, extending to and 0perate from the exterior of the chest.

11. In an evaporator, the combination with a vapor chest having a bilged belt with yshoulders above and below it, an inlet to said belt and an annular tube-containing area surrounded by said belt; of a platestructure built against said shoulders, and segregating portions of said belt, including the inlet, from the tube-containing area, said plate structure having openings therein; and means for reglatlng the effective size of said openings operable from without the evaporator.

a fixed distribut- 12. In an evaporator, the combination with a vapor chest having a bilged belt with shoulders above and below .f it, an inlet to said belt and an annular tube containing area surrounded by the belt, of a iixed plate built against said shoulders on the inlet side and having an opening confronting said inlet, hinged shutters for varying the size of the opening in the fixed plate, means.for moving said hinged shutters extending to the exterior of the chest; slidable distributing plates anking said fixed plate, interrelated guidingv devices for guiding said anking plates, and means for moving said flanking plates oppositely and in common extending to and` operable from the exterior of the chest. s

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN M. DE BEERS. In the presence of S'rANLmr W. Coon, MARY F. ALLEN. 

